Wisconsin · Senate Bill · 2023–2024 Regular Session
SB644
Wisconsin Senate Bill 644 — Disclosures regarding content generated by artificial intelligence in political advertisements, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty

Status ● Failed Effective N/A Passage Likelihood N/A

WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 1 REQUIREMENT TYPE

How Is This Bill Enforced

Enforcement Authority
Wisconsin Ethics Commission has enforcement authority and rulemaking power. Violations are subject to civil forfeiture. No private right of action is created. The bill expressly preserves existing civil and criminal liability under Wis. Stat. § 12.05.
Private Right of Action
No private right of action. Enforcement is exclusive to the designated authority.
Penalties
Civil forfeiture not to exceed $1,000 for each intentional violation. Compliance does not create an exemption from any other civil or criminal liability, including for violations of Wis. Stat. § 12.05 (false representations affecting elections).

What This Bill Requires

Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.

Statutory Text
Analysis & Obligations
Wis. Stat. § 11.1303 (title)
Title amendment to add synthetic media

11.1303 (title) Attribution of political contributions, disbursements and communications; synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a).

Section 1 of the bill amends the title of the existing attribution statute to add a reference to synthetic media, signaling the new subject matter. This is a purely stylistic change that creates no new compliance obligation.

Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)
Synthetic media disclosure requirements for political communications
Publisher

(a) In this subsection, "synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a)" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.

(b) 1 Every audio communication described in sub. (2) (a) or (b) that contains synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a) shall include both at the beginning and at the end of the communication the words "Contains content generated by AI."

(c) 2 Every video communication described in sub. (2) (a) or (b) shall include throughout the duration of each portion of the communication containing synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a), in writing that is readable, legible, and readily accessible, the words "This video content generated by AI" if the video includes video synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a) only, "This audio content generated by AI" if the video includes audio synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a) only, or "This content generated by AI" if the video includes both video and audio synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a).

(d) The commission may promulgate rules implementing pars. (a), (b), and (c). The rules may include limited exceptions to the requirements under this subsection.

(e) Compliance with this subsection does not create an exemption from any civil or criminal liability, including for violations of s. 12.05.

(f) Notwithstanding s. 11.1401 (1) (b), whoever intentionally violates par. (a), (b), or (c) shall be subject to a forfeiture not to exceed $1,000 for each violation.

This section creates the bill's core substantive obligations. It defines synthetic media as audio or video content substantially produced by generative AI, then imposes format-specific disclosure requirements on political communications paid for by the committees and entities described in existing § 11.1303(2)(a) or (b). Audio communications must include the phrase "Contains content generated by AI" at both the beginning and end. Video communications must display a written label throughout each portion containing synthetic media, with the label text varying depending on whether the synthetic media is audio-only, video-only, or both.

The section also authorizes the Ethics Commission to promulgate implementing rules with limited exceptions, expressly preserves existing civil and criminal liability (including under § 12.05 governing false representations), and establishes a civil forfeiture of up to $1,000 per intentional violation.

Compliance actions 2 items
1
Political committees, parties, and similar entities that pay for audio communications containing synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a) must include the words Contains content generated by AI at both the beginning and the end of the communication.
CP-01.6
2
Political committees, parties, and similar entities that pay for video communications containing synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a) must display readable, legible, and readily accessible written disclosure throughout the duration of each portion containing synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a), using the prescribed label text appropriate to the type of synthetic mediaSynthetic media"synthetic media" means audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence.Wis. Stat. § 11.1303(2m)(a) present (video-only, audio-only, or both).
CP-01.6
Section 3 (Initial applicability)
Initial applicability

(1) This act first applies to a communication described in s. 11.1303 (2) (a) or (b) that is created on the effective date of this subsection.

This non-codified section establishes that the bill's requirements first apply to communications created on or after the effective date. It creates no independent compliance obligation.

Passage Likelihood

Failed
Status Failed
Final action Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Legislative History

2023-11-07 Introduced
2023-11-07 Read first time and referred to Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection
2023-11-15 Representative Subeck added as a cosponsor
2023-11-27 Representative Haywood added as a cosponsor
2023-11-27 Fiscal estimate received
2024-01-12 Representative Ratcliff added as a cosponsor
2024-02-06 Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Quinn
2024-02-08 Public hearing held
2024-02-15 Executive action taken
2024-02-15 Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection, Ayes 5, Noes 0
2024-02-15 Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection, Ayes 5, Noes 0
2024-02-15 Available for scheduling
2024-02-20 Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Quinn
2024-02-20 Representative Shankland added as a cosponsor
2024-04-15 Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Entry Last Reviewed

2026-05-16
AI generated